Imposter Syndrome: The Persistent Fiction We Tell Ourselves
- David Sheret
- Feb 13
- 3 min read
I was speaking with my other (better) half, Jill Kennedy, yesterday about imposter syndrome, and it struck me how often this phrase comes up. Jill's a clinical hypnotherapist and hears it frequently in her work, but for me, it’s a strange condition—rarely talked about in the open yet quietly experienced by almost everyone. And yet, when you hold it up to the light, IMHO, it starts to lose its shape.
Because really, who hasn’t felt like an imposter at some point? Who hasn’t looked around a meeting room, a stage, an office, or a dinner table and thought, What am I doing here? With the exception of most politicians, probably all of us.
With Subsea Expo coming up in Aberdeen, plenty of people will be heading there, hoping to build their network and business prospects—but also worrying about how they'll be received. I thought this article might help.
The idea that we are unqualified, that we’ve somehow slipped through the cracks, is a persistent fiction we tell ourselves. But that’s all it is—a story. One that, more often than not, doesn’t hold up under scrutiny.
Here’s why it’s a load of old cobblers (again, IMHO).
Ten Reasons Imposter Syndrome Lives in Your Head
1. It’s based on feelings, not facts. You feel like you don’t belong, but there’s no hard evidence to support that. Feelings are unreliable narrators; they make bad fact-checkers.
2. Doubt is a sign of intelligence, not incompetence. The more capable you are, the more aware you become of what you don’t know. Those who never question themselves tend to be the ones who should.
3. Most people are too busy worrying about themselves. We assume others are constantly evaluating our competence, but they’re usually caught up in their own concerns—with a good number still worrying if they locked the door properly when they left the house this morning. If they judge you, it’s fleeting.
4. Success is rarely accidental. Unless you’ve genuinely bluffed your way through every situation, you’ve earned your place. If you weren’t capable, you wouldn’t still be standing.
5. The goalposts are always shifting. If you believe you’ll finally feel legitimate after one more achievement, one more promotion, one more project—you’ll be waiting forever. Imposter syndrome thrives on moving targets.
6. Feeling out of your depth is a normal part of progress. Discomfort is often a sign that you’re growing. Nobody steps into something new feeling fully prepared—learning is the process of becoming ready.
7. Even the most accomplished people experience it. Meryl Streep, Maya Angelou, Tom Hanks—people with immense talent and success have all admitted to feeling like frauds. If they aren’t immune to it, maybe it’s just part of being human.
8. Confidence and ability aren’t the same thing. There are plenty of confident people with limited skills and plenty of skilled people who lack confidence. The difference isn’t capability—it’s mindset.
9. Your past achievements tell a clearer story than your doubts. If you were really as unqualified as you think, you wouldn’t have made it this far. The evidence of your competence is already there.
10. You can’t control what others think, so why waste energy trying? No matter what you do, some people will be impressed, some indifferent, some critical. Since you can’t edit their opinions, focus on what you can control—your own perception of yourself.
The Takeaway
Imposter syndrome is persuasive because it feels real. But when you break it down, it’s just a trick of perspective—a lens that distorts reality.
The truth is, no one has everything figured out. Everyone, at some point, has felt uncertain, out of their depth, or like they don’t quite measure up. The difference between those who move forward and those who get stuck isn’t that one group is objectively more capable—it’s that one chooses to act despite the doubt.
So, the next time you feel like an imposter, ask yourself: Is there any actual evidence for this? Chances are, the answer is no. And if that’s the case, maybe it’s time to stop believing the story and start writing a new one.
Feel free to reach out if you’d like to explore how you can create a greater impact in your role. I’m always keen to discuss how limitations are often perceptions rather than realities.
You’re not a can’t. At least, not a total one.
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